Vigo County News and Surrounding Areas

TH man arrested after allegedly burning down his own house

1/16/2020

Lucy Perry photo

By Lucy Perry
Indiana Central News

A Terre Haute man is in jail after officials say he burned his own house to the ground Tuesday night on the city's north side.

Wayne F. Burton, 50, was booked into the Vigo County Jail just before 11 p.m. He is charged with arson, obstructing a fireman performing duties and disorderly conduct.

Further investigation revealed that Burton had allegedly been arguing with his girlfriend just before the blaze. She told investigators that he threw gasoline at her before dousing a mattress with the liquid in the bedroom. He also had allegedly made verbal threats to burn the house down to others recently.

According to the probable cause affidavit, filed by Deputy R. Decker, of the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office, multiple agencies responded to the blaze just off Fruitridge Avenue, on Hall Avenue, around 8:30 p.m.

The house was fully engulfed in flames and smoke.

An Otter Creek FIre Department firefighter told Decker that the owner of the house, Burton, was trying to physically fight them while they worked the blaze. He was observed kicking a mailbox and behaving aggressively as he approached the firefighters on scene.

The suspect, described as wearing camo pants at the time, had fled the scene when the firemen informed him police were on the way. He was likely near the cemetery across the street from the scene, Deputy Decker was told.

Decker was able to find Burton a short time later and ordered him to the ground.

The suspect was argumentative, according to the report.

“ It’s my house! I don’t have insurance. I can burn my own house!” Burton reportedly stated.

Meanwhile, other deputies and Indiana State Police arrived to assist. Ultimately, the Terre Haute Police Department was called to assist with the Mobile Incarceration Unit to tranport Burton to the jail.

Decker described Burton as continuing to ignore commands when he was ordered to get into the patrol car.

“Once inside my patrol car, Wayne tried to kick the rear window out,” Decker explained.

Burton remains held in the jail on $35,000, no 10 percent allowed. He is set to appear in Div. 3 Circuit Court Jan. 21.